Ritual
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| + | [[Image:Tommaso.Laureti.Triumph.of.Christianity.jpg|right|thumb|200px|This page '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is part of the [[Christianity]] series.<br><Small>Illustration: ''[[Triumph of Christianity]]'' (detail) by [[Tommaso Laureti]] (1530-1602.)</small>]] | ||
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| - | "These relics in Greek [[ritual]] and faith are very commonly explained as due to Oriental influences, as things borrowed from the dark and bloody superstitions of Asia. But this attempt to save the native Greek character for "[[blitheness]]" and humanity must not be pushed too far. It must be remembered that the cruder and wilder sacrifices and legends of Greece were strictly LOCAL; that they were attached to these ancient temples, old altars, barbarous [[xoana]], or wooden idols, and rough [[fetish]] stones, in which [[Pausanias]] found the most ancient relics of Hellenic theology."--''[[Myth, Ritual, and Religion|Myth, Ritual and Religion]]'' (1887) by Andrew Lang | + | "These relics in Greek [[ritual]] and faith are very commonly explained as due to Oriental influences, as things borrowed from the dark and bloody superstitions of Asia. But this attempt to save the native Greek character for "[[blitheness]]" and humanity must not be pushed too far. It must be remembered that the cruder and wilder sacrifices and legends of Greece were strictly LOCAL; that they were attached to these ancient temples, old altars, barbarous [[xoanon|xoana]], or wooden idols, and rough [[fetish]] stones, in which [[Pausanias]] found the most ancient relics of Hellenic theology."--''[[Myth, Ritual, and Religion|Myth, Ritual and Religion]]'' (1887) by Andrew Lang |
| + | <hr> | ||
| + | "[[Apollo]] then, was, like [[Dionysos]], King of the May and—saving his presence—Jack-in-the-Green. The god manifestly arose out of the [[ritual|rite]]."--''[[Ancient Art and Ritual]]'' (1912) | ||
| + | <hr> | ||
| + | "[[Ducange]], in his “[[Glossarium]],” introduces the Ritual of the Mass at the [[Feast of the Ass]], familiar to most readers,—but he adds nothing to what has already been quoted in regard to the Feast of Fools itself."--''[[Scatalogic Rites of All Nations]]'' (1891) by John Gregory Bourke | ||
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| - | A '''ritual''' is a set of [[action]]s, performed mainly for their [[symbol]]ic value. It may be prescribed by the [[tradition]]s of a [[community]], including a [[religious community]]. The term usually refers to actions which are stylized, excluding actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers. | ||
| - | The field of ritual studies has seen a number of conflicting definitions of the term. One given by Kyriakidis (2007) is that a ritual is an outsider's or "[[Emic and etic|etic]]" category for a set activity (or set of actions) which to the outsider seems irrational, non-contiguous, or illogical. The term can be used also by the insider or "[[Emic and etic|emic]]" performer as an acknowledgement that this activity can be seen as such by the uninitiated onlooker. | + | A '''ritual''' is a [[sequence]] of [[activities]] involving [[gesture]]s, words, actions, or revered objects. |
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| + | Rituals may be prescribed by the [[tradition]]s of a [[community]], including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, but not defined, by formalism, traditionalism, invariance, rule-governance, sacral symbolism, and performance. | ||
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| + | Rituals are a feature of all known human societies. They include not only the [[worship]] rites and [[sacrament]]s of organized religions and [[cult]]s, but also [[rites of passage]], atonement and [[ritual purification|purification rites]], [[oaths of allegiance]], dedication ceremonies, [[coronation]]s and presidential [[inauguration]]s, [[marriage]]s, [[funeral]]s and more. Even common actions like [[handshake|hand-shaking]] and saying "[[hello]]" may be termed as ''rituals''. | ||
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| + | The field of ritual studies has seen a number of conflicting definitions of the term. One given by Kyriakidis is that a ritual is an outsider's or "[[Emic and etic|etic]]" category for a set activity (or set of actions) that, to the outsider, seems irrational, non-contiguous, or illogical. The term can be used also by the insider or "[[Emic and etic|emic]]" performer as an acknowledgement that this activity can be seen as such by the uninitiated onlooker. | ||
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| + | In [[psychology]], the term ''ritual'' is sometimes used in a technical sense for a repetitive behavior systematically used by a person to neutralize or prevent anxiety; it can be a symptom of [[obsessive–compulsive disorder]] but obsessive-compulsive ritualistic behaviors are generally isolated activities. | ||
| - | In [[psychology]], the term ritual is sometimes used in a technical sense for a repetitive behavior systematically used by a person to neutralize or prevent anxiety; it is a symptom of [[obsessive–compulsive disorder]]. | ||
| - | ==Ritual actions== | ||
| - | There are hardly any limits to the kind of actions that may be incorporated into a ritual. The rites of past and present societies have typically involved special gestures and words, recitation of fixed texts, performance of special [[music]], [[singing|songs]] or [[dance]]s, processions, manipulation of certain objects, use of special dresses, consumption of special [[food]], [[drink]], or [[psychoactive drug|drugs]], and much more. Religious rituals have also included [[animal sacrifice]], [[human sacrifice]], and [[ritual suicide]]. Ritual lamentation—song performed with weeping—in many societies was regarded as required to ritually carry the departed soul to a safe afterlife. | ||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| * [[Ceremony]] | * [[Ceremony]] | ||
| - | * [[Civil religion]] | + | * [[Collective identity]] |
| - | * [[Habituation]] | + | * [[Myth and ritual]] |
| - | * [[Liturgy]] | + | * [[Obsessive–compulsive disorder]] |
| - | * [[Obsessive-compulsive disorder]] | + | |
| * [[Processional walkway]] | * [[Processional walkway]] | ||
| * [[Religion]] | * [[Religion]] | ||
| * [[Rite]] | * [[Rite]] | ||
| - | * [[Collective identity]] | ||
| - | * [[Battle trance]] | ||
| * [[Sexual ritual]] | * [[Sexual ritual]] | ||
| * [[Superstition]] | * [[Superstition]] | ||
| - | * [[Myth and ritual]] | ||
| * [[Religious symbolism]] | * [[Religious symbolism]] | ||
| - | * [[Reverence (emotion)]] | + | * ''[[The Rite of Spring]]'' |
| + | *[[Last rites]] | ||
| + | *[[Rite of passage]] | ||
| + | *''[[Marriage Rites, Customs and Ceremonies of The Nations of the Universe]] | ||
| + | *[[Ritual behavior in animals ]] | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Current revision
Illustration: Triumph of Christianity (detail) by Tommaso Laureti (1530-1602.)
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"These relics in Greek ritual and faith are very commonly explained as due to Oriental influences, as things borrowed from the dark and bloody superstitions of Asia. But this attempt to save the native Greek character for "blitheness" and humanity must not be pushed too far. It must be remembered that the cruder and wilder sacrifices and legends of Greece were strictly LOCAL; that they were attached to these ancient temples, old altars, barbarous xoana, or wooden idols, and rough fetish stones, in which Pausanias found the most ancient relics of Hellenic theology."--Myth, Ritual and Religion (1887) by Andrew Lang "Apollo then, was, like Dionysos, King of the May and—saving his presence—Jack-in-the-Green. The god manifestly arose out of the rite."--Ancient Art and Ritual (1912) "Ducange, in his “Glossarium,” introduces the Ritual of the Mass at the Feast of the Ass, familiar to most readers,—but he adds nothing to what has already been quoted in regard to the Feast of Fools itself."--Scatalogic Rites of All Nations (1891) by John Gregory Bourke |
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A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or revered objects.
Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, but not defined, by formalism, traditionalism, invariance, rule-governance, sacral symbolism, and performance.
Rituals are a feature of all known human societies. They include not only the worship rites and sacraments of organized religions and cults, but also rites of passage, atonement and purification rites, oaths of allegiance, dedication ceremonies, coronations and presidential inaugurations, marriages, funerals and more. Even common actions like hand-shaking and saying "hello" may be termed as rituals.
The field of ritual studies has seen a number of conflicting definitions of the term. One given by Kyriakidis is that a ritual is an outsider's or "etic" category for a set activity (or set of actions) that, to the outsider, seems irrational, non-contiguous, or illogical. The term can be used also by the insider or "emic" performer as an acknowledgement that this activity can be seen as such by the uninitiated onlooker.
In psychology, the term ritual is sometimes used in a technical sense for a repetitive behavior systematically used by a person to neutralize or prevent anxiety; it can be a symptom of obsessive–compulsive disorder but obsessive-compulsive ritualistic behaviors are generally isolated activities.
See also
- Ceremony
- Collective identity
- Myth and ritual
- Obsessive–compulsive disorder
- Processional walkway
- Religion
- Rite
- Sexual ritual
- Superstition
- Religious symbolism
- The Rite of Spring
- Last rites
- Rite of passage
- Marriage Rites, Customs and Ceremonies of The Nations of the Universe
- Ritual behavior in animals
